The Incident

  A Few Days Later

  This world has two moons.

  What’s strange is that the seasons still work exactly like on Earth. That shouldn’t be possible, but anyway…

  One full-moon night, the head assistant bursts into my room.

  “Sir Hero, come quick—Princess Roka may be in danger!”

  !!

  We sprint to her room. The door is wide open.

  We storm inside.

  Someone is standing next to Roka’s bed.

  An assassin?

  “HEY!”

  He looks up. It’s some guy.

  No time to think.

  I rush him and shove him so hard he crashes into the wall beside the window.

  I spin back toward Roka—

  A faint red glow pulses through her hair.

  Oh shit. Her Seal.

  This guy—

  Wait. Who is this guy?

  I grab him by the shirt, lift him, and look at his face. I’ve never seen him before.

  Oh—right.

  The Seal.

  “Tell me you didn’t!” I bark.

  He smiles.

  “She’s mine now.”

  I lean in close and say, very quietly:

  “Wrong answer.”

  My left hand clamps around his throat. I slam him into the wall. He thrashes, kicking and clawing, until the fight just… leaves him.

  Movement—Roka!

  “Aaaaargh!”

  She screams, clutching her neck.

  Shit.

  I look back at him.

  And then—

  I see red.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Everything blanks out.

  The Head Assistant

  I hear the words:

  “I’m gonna need you to die for a bit.”

  Ronald starts struggling again.

  Sir Hero punches him in the chest—right over the heart.

  Ronald goes limp. Sir Hero lets him drop like dead weight.

  I think he’s actually dead.

  Sir Hero runs to Roka. She’s facing away from him, still gripping her neck. He forces her hand aside; she struggles weakly.

  He places his hand on her forehead.

  “Sleep.”

  She goes still instantly.

  The red glow fades.

  It’s gone.

  Sir Hero then presses his palm to her Seal. The red light flares again… and fades.

  I finally get a moment to breathe.

  Calm down… calm down… you’re a professional, damn it.

  I try to stand.

  I can’t.

  Is that the same guy from Lady Felmina’s interview?

  Is he dead?

  Stop shaking, legs.

  Sir Hero turns and walks toward Ronald Mayburry—Duke Francis Mayburry’s son. He rips open the man’s shirt and places his hands on Ronald’s torso.

  “Lightning.”

  A flash. Ronald coughs.

  “We’re not done, you and I.”

  Sir Hero’s voice is so low and cold I barely recognize it.

  I check Ronald with Appraise.

  1 HP. Seriously.

  Sir Hero pulls out a red potion, uncorks it, and force-feeds him. His HP shoots to full.

  That should take like four potions.

  Focus, damn it. Just observe.

  “Y-you…” Ronald wheezes.

  Sir Hero picks him up again, walks to the window, and throws him out.

  Ronald falls. Sir Hero jumps after him.

  My legs are dead, but I can still move my arms. I crawl to the window and peer down.

  Ronald’s HP is full again—Sir Hero must’ve force-fed him another potion.

  Sir Hero releases his grip on Ronald’s face.

  I channel mana to my ears for enhanced hearing.

  Sir Hero speaks:

  “What about me?”

  That terrifying low rumble again.

  “You’re a level 24… k-know your place…”

  Sir Hero walks to the fountain. He calmly sets down three HP potions.

  “And?”

  “I-I’m level 150! There’s no wa—”

  Sir Hero punches him in the stomach.

  I didn’t even see him move.

  Ronald’s HP drops to half.

  He folds, gasping, clutching his abdomen. Sir Hero pats his back gently.

  “Just breathe. This isn’t over yet.”

  Ronald panics, draws his sword, and slashes wildly.

  He hits nothing.

  Sir Hero is already at the fountain, tossing him another potion.

  “You’ll need that soon.”

  Ronald stares at it, then at Sir Hero.

  Sir Hero charges again. Ronald swings—Sir Hero catches his wrist and slams the sword’s hilt into his face.

  “Argh!”

  Ronald drops.

  “Drink it.”

  The idiot drops both potion and sword. The potion shatters.

  “No—please wait!”

  “Drink it or die.”

  Sir Hero throws him another potion. Ronald scrambles and drinks it with shaking hands.

  Sir Hero closes in, casually dodging Ronald’s desperate slashes.

  He grabs Ronald’s throat and lifts him. Ronald passes out. His injuries heal as the potion works.

  Sir Hero drops him, then slaps him awake.

  Ronald trembles uncontrollably now.

  Sir Hero hands him the last potion.

  “Don’t break this one. Hold onto it like your life depends on it. Because it does.”

  Ronald clutches it like a lifeline.

  Sir Hero grips his collar, pulls his head back—

  Wham.

  A brutal headbutt. Ronald sails across the courtyard.

  Sir Hero looks up at me and starts walking toward the building.

  His eyes are empty.

  Predatory.

  I try to crawl away.

  My arms are jelly. My legs refuse to move.

  Sir Hero lands inside the room behind me.

  Third floor.

  He jumped.

  He doesn’t care.

  I can’t escape. I sit up, cornered.

  The door is to my right. Sir Hero stands to my left beside Roka.

  Suddenly the door bursts open.

  “Roka!”

  Felmina.

  I freeze.

  Sir Hero turns toward the sound—

  Shit. Did he snap? Is he going to hurt her?

  His eyes shift—

  Predator locking onto prey.

  He sprints toward her. No sound. No warning. My head can’t even track him.

  All I hear is:

  “Sleep.”

  When my eyes catch up, he’s holding Felmina gently.

  If my legs worked, one step might’ve gotten me between them.

  Who am I kidding?

  He moved like I wasn’t even alive.

  Felmina slumps over. Sir Hero’s hand touches the nape of her neck. A red light glows…

  A few seconds.

  Then fades.

  My knees collapse. My head rings. I can’t hear anything.

  I look again.

  Sir Hero is lying on the floor.

  I Appraise him.

  It fails.

  No… it activates.

  Grey text fades in:

  '《》

  The guards burst in.

  It’s over.

  It’s finally over.

  I gasp.

  Somewhere along the line, I forgot to breathe.